Visitor restrictions in place

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It’s flu season. To protect patients, families and team members, IU Health is limiting visitors to its hospitals and facilities starting Dec. 15. Learn more about our visitor restrictions.

Questions about Ebola:

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If you call IU Health to schedule an appointment or visit an IU Health facility, we will ask if you have travelled outside of the country in the past 21 days. We are asking this question to help protect our patients and team members, given the recent cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) that have emerged elsewhere in the United States. This is just one of the many steps that we are taking to protect our patients, their families, our healthcare providers and the community at large. Thank you for trusting us with your care.

What causes asthma?

Increased sensitivity or reactivity of the airways causes asthma. This increased airway sensitivity causes inflammation or swelling, mucous production and bronchial tube narrowing. Certain substances or events that cause an asthma episode are called triggers.

Common triggers include:

Allergies such as cat or dog dander, dust or dust mites, molds, cockroaches, and pollens from trees, grass or weeds.

Upper respiratory infections that are usually viral

Inhaled cigarette smoke including firsthand, secondhand and perhaps even third hand smoke

Strong colognes or perfumes

Chemical smells from things like cleaning products

Environmental effects like cold air or high humidity

Exercise or strenuous activity

Emotional stresses (including laughter)

Exposures to these triggers may increase asthma symptoms and can lead to an asthma episode.

How is asthma diagnosed?

Asthma is diagnosed from a complete history of previous or present symptoms and by physical exam and lung function studies. The usual guidance is that three separate and distinct episodes of asthma with consistent symptoms are needed to make the diagnosis. Often, medical records of documented symptoms or physical findings are helpful.

Lung function tests that measure airway obstruction or flows can be helpful at the time of diagnosis and used as a way to follow the progress of asthma treatment. Newer lung function tests can evaluate byproducts of allergic inflammation called nitric oxide (eNO or exhaled nitric oxide).

Once diagnosed, a severity category of intermittent, mild, moderate or severe is assigned. Control of asthma symptoms is categorized as well controlled, not well controlled or poorly controlled.

How is asthma in children treated?

After the diagnosis of asthma is made, children are categorized into groups by the frequency of their symptoms. Asthma education helps families and patients understand symptoms and treatment plans. Issues of environmental control are discussed that relate to the family environment. The allergy evaluation looks into possible environmental triggers. If a child is sensitive to a particular allergen, a large part of asthma education includes the best and most effective way to avoid that allergen.

In addition to environmental control, medications may be prescribed for long-term control or for quick relief. Long-term control medicines are used daily and help to control inflammation. This group includes:

Inhaled steroids

Long acting beta agonists

Oral medications called leukotriene modifiers

Oral theophylline

Quick relief medications are given to relieve acute or new symptoms. These include:

Inhaled albuterol or variations of albuterol

Oral steroids, but these take time to work

Inhaled ipratroprium

Immune modulation (a way to adjust immune response) of asthma may include:

Allergen immunotherapy (desensitization)

Anti-IgE treatment (a form of treatment that blocks the response of IgE, which are cells that tell the body to have an allergic reaction)

Pediatric Allergy and Asthma Blog Posts

A food allergy is an abnormal reaction of the immune system to specific foods. Food intolerance is similar to a food allergy, and can share some of the same symptoms. Food allergy symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening, but it can be difficult for a bystander or parent to know whether emergency medical attention is necessary. A severe allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can…